Saphire Lounge Review – Pangkal Pinang (PGK)

The cutest little lounges always seem to pop up in the most unexpected places, don’t they? And at the most unexpected times, too. Deep in the heart of the corona pandemic, the little Saphire Lounge in Pangkal Pinang on Bangka Island was both open and on fleek. This is a delightful lounge, and well worth paying a little extra for the opportunity to visit. Definitely arrive at the airport a few minutes early to relax and fill up. To make sure you do it right, we’ve written this Saphire Lounge Review – Pangkal Pinang (PGK) for you.

Our Trip – Saphire Lounge Review – Pangkal Pinang (PGK)

The whole process of checking in felt like quite a bit of ado for what was a very, very short flight – a little jump to the neighboring and more famous island of Belitung (whose lounge was sadly closed due to the virus.) For such a short flight on such a small plane, this lounge felt overly luxurious. This may be one of the best Saphire Lounges in Indonesia.

The Facts – Saphire Lounge Review – Pangkal Pinang (PGK)

You can access the lounge using Priority Pass. You can also get in by paying a small fee of about 120,000 rupiah – less than $10. To get to the lounge, go up the stairs after check in and immediately turn into the lounge – which is outside security. This can be an annoyance, but the lounge is actually right next to the gate so its really not a big deal – you can leave the lounge after the flight starts boarding and be totally fine.

The Space – Saphire Lounge Review – Pangkal Pinang (PGK)

The lounge is compact, but not cramped. There are three seating areas – one along the hallway, a larger seating area after the food space, and then a very large smoking room. There’s also a prayer room and a massage center that was not open.

The food – Saphire Lounge Review – Pangkal Pinang (PGK)

Normally, the lounge is buffet style, but for the time being its only a la carte. The food was good and made to order. I didn’t have any complaints at all. In fact, the fact that its made to order may actually be a selling point.

There is a menu located at the entrance.

The drinks

No alcohol, of course. There’s nothing really special worth mentioning – hot drinks are prepared to order, water and tea are on tap.

The internet

Excellent! One of the fastest speeds we’ve seen in an Indonesian lounge in a while.

The restrooms

Located inside the lounge. No showers, small but useable.

Final Thoughts

This really was a solid lounge for a small airport. Its clean, its shiny, and it has amazing staff and decent food. Lima bintang, would visit again.

Final Grades